Humbrol Satin Cote

[Wonker]

Hello,

Another novice question I'm afraid. I have bought a jar of Humbrol Satin Cote that I will use as 'varnish'. Does this product need thinning (I use brushes not airbrush) or can I just brush it on?

Can I paint it over the canopy?

Also, do I apply a coat before putting the Decals on and if so, how many coats would I need (I don't have any other 'decal' product such as Micro sol, or 'set' as I don't really know what they are!) so will the Satin Cote help with decals?

I would imagine I need another coat after I have applied the decals?

I have probably bought the wrong thing

Thanks for the help.

Wonker

[Richard M]

Hello,

Another novice question I'm afraid. I have bought a jar of Humbrol Satin Cote that I will use as 'varnish'. Does this product need thinning (I use brushes not airbrush) or can I just brush it on?

It needs to be stirred a lot, thinning will help, two or three thin coats are better than one thick one.

Can I paint it over the canopy?

NO!

Also, do I apply a coat before putting the Decals on and if so, how many coats would I need (I don't have any other 'decal' product such as Micro sol, or 'set' as I don't really know what they are!) so will the Satin Cote help with decals?

You really need to apply decals to a gloss surface, Humbrol Glosscote is the one you need for this

I would imagine I need another coat after I have applied the decals?

To get a satin finish and seal the decals in place apply the satin cote, for a matt finish you'll need Humbrol Matt Cote. The flatness of the finish required depends on the subject and how it was painted/polished etc.

I have probably bought the wrong thing

Thanks for the help.

Wonker

For applying decals yes, 'fraid so, but it can be used as a sealant to give a satin final finish, so not wasted.

[Wonker]

It needs to be stirred a lot, thinning will help, two or three thin coats are better than one thick one.

NO!

You really need to apply decals to a gloss surface, Humbrol Glosscote is the one you need for this

To get a satin finish and seal the decals in place apply the satin cote, for a matt finish you'll need Humbrol Matt Cote. The flatness of the finish required depends on the subject and how it was painted/polished etc.

For applying decals yes, 'fraid so, but it can be used as a sealant to give a satin final finish, so not wasted.

Thanks for the response. What would I thin this with, white spirit?

Is there really that much difference between the Satin Cote and Gloss Cote so that you can apply decals to one but not the other?

I'll avoid the canopy

Cheers

Wonker

[Raptor]

Although you have to take care and wear a mask when spraying (or painting), I would recommend using cellulose thinners.

Cheers

Thanks for the response. What would I thin this with, white spirit?

Is there really that much difference between the Satin Cote and Gloss Cote so that you can apply decals to one but not the other?

I'll avoid the canopy

Cheers

Wonker

[Richard M]

Yes there is quite a difference between the gloss and the satin, the satin will almost certainly cause the decals to "silver", if you want to try it, you could leave the bottle for a bit so the matting agent settles out and then just paint on the clear liquid which in theory should give you a gloss finish

I've always thinned with white spirit, which is what was recommended on the older bottles, now Humbrol recommend using enamel thinners (the cynic in me notes that they sell enamel thinners but not large cheap bottles of white spirit....)

Edited August 31, 2011 by Richard M

[Harry Lime]

Further to the post above, I always thin this stuff with white spirit. I've brush painted it and sprayed it and found it to give a good finish however it is applied. Just don't apply it to canopies without masking first! And yes, if you don't have any decal solutions, decals are best applied to a gloss surface.

Mark.

[Wonker]

Further to the post above, I always thin this stuff with white spirit. I've brush painted it and sprayed it and found it to give a good finish however it is applied. Just don't apply it to canopies without masking first! And yes, if you don't have any decal solutions, decals are best applied to a gloss surface.

Mark.

I don't have any decal solution so are you saying that I would be better to put the decals straight onto the finished/painted model before applying the satin cote or It would be better to put the Satin cote on first, just not as good as if it were gloss cote?

Cheers

Wonker

(I probably should just get hold of some decal solution, wouldn't know where to start though!)

[Bertie McBoatface]

Although you have to take care and wear a mask when spraying (or painting), I would recommend using cellulose thinners.

Cheers

Cellulose thinned paints an varnishes spray very well but from my experience I'd say be careful when brush painting as it's hot stuff and can damage the paint below. Test it first.

[SaintsPhil]

If, as it sounds, you want to put down a varnish coat before decalling, gloss coat is what you need. This does 2 things, protects the paintwork and stops silvering (the trapping of small airbubbles under the decals.

There are loads of different gloss varnishes pit there, a lot of people use Klear, this is a floor wax believe it or not! It is cheap (compared to specialist model Gloss coats) but is no longer available in the old formular in the UK. A substitute was Quickshine (I personally use this) it's available from Lakelands, however it has recently been discontinued by them apparently! I'm going to give Aqua Gloss made by Alclad a try on my next kit, in case I can't get anymore QS.

Decal solutions are not always needed but they help make the decals bed down around detail and in panel lines etc. They usually come in 2 parts, a softener and a setter. Various ones are available I personally use Micro sol and set. These are medium strength, they work on all but the thickest decals without being too aggressive. I have also got some Mr Softener (great name!) for more stubborn decals!

The satin coat you've hot is intended more a final finish coat to give the model a realistic appearance. Some subjects would have a Matt finish, some satin and some gloss so you need to choose the final Varnish coat based on the subject.

Does this help?

Phil

[thx6667]

Although you have to take care and wear a mask when spraying (or painting), I would recommend using cellulose thinners.

Cheers

Yes if spraying but as Wonker mentioned he's brushing in which case cellulose is a big no no as even the smallest amounts can burn and lift the underlying paint, enamel and acrylic.

Best bet is some Humbrol thinner and just add small amounts until you get a consistency that brushes on smoothly without "pulling" the paint brush, and as Richard says, several thin coats better than one thick one.

[Wonker]

If, as it sounds, you want to put down a varnish coat before decalling, gloss coat is what you need. This does 2 things, protects the paintwork and stops silvering (the trapping of small airbubbles under the decals.

There are loads of different gloss varnishes pit there, a lot of people use Klear, this is a floor wax believe it or not! It is cheap (compared to specialist model Gloss coats) but is no longer available in the old formular in the UK. A substitute was Quickshine (I personally use this) it's available from Lakelands, however it has recently been discontinued by them apparently! I'm going to give Aqua Gloss made by Alclad a try on my next kit, in case I can't get anymore QS.

Decal solutions are not always needed but they help make the decals bed down around detail and in panel lines etc. They usually come in 2 parts, a softener and a setter. Various ones are available I personally use Micro sol and set. These are medium strength, they work on all but the thickest decals without being too aggressive. I have also got some Mr Softener (great name!) for more stubborn decals!

The satin coat you've hot is intended more a final finish coat to give the model a realistic appearance. Some subjects would have a Matt finish, some satin and some gloss so you need to choose the final Varnish coat based on the subject.

Does this help?

Phil

The problem with not being in any way an expert at this I don't really know what finish the subjects should have, that's why I bought Satin Cote which I though would be a happy medium between the Gloss and the Matt but it appears it's no good to apply before decals.

If decals are to be put onto a 'gloss' surface, but you wanted the final finish to be Satin, would you gloss first (with Klear, Quickshine, humbrol glosscote etc), apply the decals and then finally apply the satincote? What would the result be in applying Satincote to a 'Glossed' surface as opposed to applying it to just the (non-glossed) paint?

On the Decal solution side of things, what is the difference between Micro sol and set and when and how would they be used?

Sorry for all the questions.

Cheers

Wonker

[thx6667]

If decals are to be put onto a 'gloss' surface, but you wanted the final finish to be Satin, would you gloss first (with Klear, Quickshine, humbrol glosscote etc), apply the decals and then finally apply the satincote?

Yes.

What would the result be in applying Satincote to a 'Glossed' surface as opposed to applying it to just the (non-glossed) paint?

It should be the same end result - a satin surface.

On the Decal solution side of things, what is the difference between Micro sol and set and when and how would they be used?

Set is a wetting agent that helps remove air bubbles and makes it slightly easier to manoeuvre and set the decal in the final position. Sol is a solvent, and melts it slightly to conform to the surface.

Its all explained in this new book:

(The author has the same name as me, what were the odds of that? )

[Wonker]

Yes.

It should be the same end result - a satin surface.

Set is a wetting agent that helps remove air bubbles and makes it slightly easier to manoeuvre and set the decal in the final position. Sol is a solvent, and melts it slightly to conform to the surface.

Its all explained in this new book:

(The author has the same name as me, what were the odds of that? )

Cheers Jonathan....and nice plug

I take it that book is answer to all my problems

Where is the best place to get hold of a copy?

Cheers mate

Wonker